A Look Back in Time: Pre University School Days (Part 2)

Part 2: A Nation in Shock

Before we knew it we were in the month of May. We were supposed to have our first semester examinations later in the month. What? Just started lessons only and now talking about exams. Sure stressful. History lessons (who killed Napoleon? How was Rome born? Who founded Singapore? Iskandar or Raffles? Aiyoh!). Geography (Achi was our Geography teacher and in one lesson asked us to feel the map and one bright spark answered her that it was "very smooth"..."not funny" she retorted and he had to stand up on the chair!), Economics (supply and demand must meet to reach an equilibrium, aiyah very chim lah), English Literature (taught by Ms Sara a very pint sized Indian lady elegantly dressed in colourful sari and a bindi on her forehead, very pretty, but had a mousy voice, teaching Shakesphere's Macbeth...and we had to act the part to better remember..what?) and GP (teacher asked one of our classmates what did he see in the passage..Brilliant answer: "Words!" Well Achi didn't have any sense of humour we found out. He was made to stand on the chair. Achi's favourite punishment).
So the teachers worked hard to drum the lessons into our ears but thick ear wax bounced them out equally quick.
Some of our teachers had interesting personalities. We had two history teachers. Ms Ang taught us Asian History and she was a Speedy Gonzales. Spoke super fast and only a tape recorder was able to catch what she said.  On the other hand our European History teacher, Mrs Goh was a total opposite. She spoke just above a whisper (we thought she had a bad sore throat and we offered her Hacks) but no according to her it was her vocal cords. Aiyoh, must be very romantic when she spoke to her husband lah. Whisper, whisper saja. So everyone had to gather in front of her. Image 40 of us and of course the girls were right in front with lots of enthusiasm. So we guys as gentlemen slowly moved backwards and had a good time at the back of the class..ha! ha! she couldn't shout at us. Of course in our back of classroom discussions someone argued that Singapore was founded by a Singh!!! Not Raffles. That was a shocking news!
Then we had an Economics teacher who was very short (someone saw that she had to put thick books on her car's driving seat for elevation! Sheee! don't tell) and she needed an assistant to write her notes on the blackboard. As we had no experience writing on the blackboard, you can imaging the outcome. Can't read lah! Hoi!
So how to pass the coming examinations?
However, a national event saved us from the cruel mid year examinations.
We HEARD.
First from the radio and then saw it on television.
There were major racial riots in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia and spreading fast. Few days later we were all told to bring canned food and some clothing the next day to be kept in the classroom for emergency. The worry was that we may have to stay back in school. Wah, tension and kancheong man. Then due to the escalation of violence of riots in the streets, all the schools were suspended..Hurray! we were given holidays until further notice (to hear from the radio, what if got no radio?). During the school assembly the principal warned and emphasised to us that we had to stay in doors at home and not venture out in case we were caught in the racial riots that had spread around Singapore.
After several weeks the riots were put down and peace had returned
We had to cut short our mid term school vacation and return to school to catch up with the syllabi so that we will be able to sit for our year end examinations. (who wants the exams?)
When classes resumed one of the bright sparks suggested we conduct "Operation Open Canned Food"  and the party held in the classroom. Indeed what a party we had during recess as some brought extra food and bread to eat with the canned food. It was real bonding as well. Teachers were not invited.

A Look Back in Time: Pre-University School Days (Part 1)

Part 1: The beginning

I stepped into the class room with trepidation. It was my first day in a new school and to start a 2 year Pre-University course, with the hope of passing the Higher School Certificate well and be eligible for enrolment into the university. And hopefully a better life ahead, for me and for my parents.
A simple dream of a Kampong boy who was educated in a kampong primary and secondary school, now entering into a suburban secondary school for a pre-university education (different world! very self conscious lah of my kampong background).
The class was noisy. An air of festivity. There were a few groups. Some had joined the class in the beginning of the school year in January (their pre-lim results must be good lah). Others, like myself were joining only in March after our O level results. But they all seemed to know each others as they came from branded schools called brother and sister schools. No wonder they speak so eloquently..did I detect some slangs?
Where to sit? Sneaked into the back and ponked onto an empty chair. Very very self conscious as I was wearing my old school uniform that had seen better days and my almost worn out badminton masters shoes. Worst was I had the apek style haircut from the Chinese barber shop at the local village market just before school starts. ( Mother said it was for good luck?)  Malu lah.
Then this tall skinny Indian classmate from another group saw me and came over to introduce himself..very confident,..Hi I am Cobra. Alamak, ada gang ah? My secondary school was in a village that was infested with gangsters. And now here? in class?
Seeing my confused face he said his name was Subra but his friends call him "cobra". He was from the Base and so were 4 of our other classmates; another skinny guy who called himself "Guru", so holy (actually short for Gurucharanjit), a stylo milo girl call Brapa, another skinny Indian guy with struggling puberty moustache and beard said with his hand extended "Money". Ah? (funny names but later I know that it was Praba who was wearing boots!!! Wow! Got attitude and Mani short for Subramaniam). A cute Malay girl calling herself Zab (or was it Zap..be careful). All were from the Base and studied in the same secondary school as Cobra.
Oh hi! so all are from the same kamponghood..the Base.
Everyone was so warm and friendly introducing each other, no class divide, no attitude. Soon inhibition, trepidation. self conscious all left the class room. Joined in the festivity. It was a very noisy class. And it was not just a class but a MULTIRACIAL class! We had 6 Indians, 3 Malays, 3 Pujabis (Guru Singh, Jit Singh and Hairy Singh who did not wear a turban but had his hair cut (was it because of this that his father called him hairy? No. His name was Harry but pronounced as Har-ri and gosh he chewed betel nuts!! He taught some of us later the art of chewing betel nuts! Our teacher and principal would have gone bonkers if they had found out) and an Eurasian boy called Timmy. A melting pot of different cultures!
A tall slim well groomed elegantly dressed lady with a branded handbag walked in and went to the front..teacher's table. "Good morning, I am your form teacher Mrs A. Chi" ( Ah..Achi).
There were no lessons for the week so one of the  girls called Pris (thought I heard Priest) and another called (now I know) Praba decided that we shall all go up to the front one at a time to introduce ourselves. Alamark! How ah? Never been up front and talk. Tongue will get twisted and then tied up and face all red. Lucky I wasn't the first one and heng ah! after the first few it did not carried on as some girls could not take the too personal questions that were asked of course lah by the boys. Curious mah.
For example, one very brave boy called Lek (I think ex ACS) asked one of the girls who was introducing herself as to what colour of panties she preferred! My face was red man, for the girl but she was cool cat and gave all the expectant boys the answer without batting an eye. Wah, ada respect lah.
As we built our comradeship over the days I too was morphing to become a half city boy.
A few weeks later a group of class representatives was formed to meet the discipline master to seek permission for the boys to wear trousers instead of short pants which was the school's uniform except for senior prefects. Our school was an Integrated Secondary School which had both English classes and Malay classes from secondary one to pre-university two.
Of course the Discipline Master was not pleased to be confronted with such issue. However, the truth was that we were all approaching 18 years old and we have grown taller and also our limps were longer and hairier. As we have to buy the short pants which were pre-tailored and came in sizes of small, medium and large, the short pants were not fitting. For the tall guys the pants were too short and for the short guys it was like wearing bermudas. ( our shorter classmates literally bought white bermudas to wear!! Hee! Hee! Hee!) In the end we got the permission to wear tailored trousers to look decent! (so hairy legs were no longer exposed and our class girls got no more chances to pull the leg hairs as we ascended the stairs...gee!).
Our request to wear black leather shoes as part of the uniform was turned down as the Discipline Master felt that wearing leather shoes would erode the school's staircases! Gosh. where did she learnt that leather shoes can cause erosion to cement staircases? We all wonder as to her intelligence.
Then a bombshell landed.
We were told that some of us had to change class. From A to B and some from B to A because of the syllabus and time table for the subjects.
Of course this caused both confusion and many of us dislike the form teacher of B a Miss Teo.
After a week some of our classmates from A marched to the principal's office to complain (ada attitude dah).
We learnt democracy early and not be forced down by the tyranny of Miss Teo.
Hurray! we won and all of us were transferred back to A and it was mayhem.
This episode bonded us as one cohesive class (all for one and one for all?) and the days, weeks and months ahead became more eventful.

.

The Marriage - Episode 6

7 months had quickly gone by and it was 7 months ago that the bad news came. Ah Kung decided to take in a younger foreign man (Aiyah from same country mah). Well, I was talking about a prospective employer and since than it had been rejection after rejection for jobs looking for similar experience all because I have past the "sell by date" and the coming legislation to be effective in 2012 will not help at all especially for those already unemployed as ageism is very strongly practiced in the corporate world regardless of matching requirements. Foreign headhunting firms lament the lack of experienced candidates to fill in requisite positions. But is that the real scenario? Or an excuse to bring in foreigners who are unemployed in their home country? Fend for yourself is the motto, apparently

The Marriage - Episode 5

It is almost two weeks.





As the hours and then the days ebbed, hope wanes.





No news is good news?





Maybe it is destiny.





Or Astrological stars not in alignment?

The Marriage - Episode 4

The hours are ebbing away and still no news from Ah Kung. The chance of getting Ah Girl's hand is diminshing as each hours passes by and Ah Pek's hope is also beginning to fade.

The silence is deafening to Ah Pek. Will the light of triumph shines on Ah Pek and give him a second chance to set up a family? Or will ageism dominates?

The Marriage - Episode 3

It was an anxiety filled weekend for Ah Pek. Weighing heavily on his mind is the meeting with Ah Kung. Ah Pek went through in his mind the critical comments that Ah Kung had made and now these ring loud....something which was not immediately discernible then.

Underscoring all the comments is the issue of age.. a strong preference for youth. Ah Kung's hint was that a younger man has more vitality and drive and will be able to stay and be loyal to Ah Girl longer.


The suspense is causing Ah Pek to be very listless.

So when will Ah Pek be informed?

The Marriage - Episode 2

Now that Ah Kung had met with all the suitors for Ah Girl, he has called his family for a meeting to review, discuss and select the prospective son-in-law.



Ta Chay, Ta Ker, Ta Sao, Er Ker, Er Sao and Ah Ma will have to add their opinions after Ah Kung has described to them on the various prospects. Ah Kung's principal concern is the dowry amount that has to be given to the selected suitor. So far what Ah Kung has indicated seems to be acceptable to all the suitors as they feel that given the global financial crisis they are not going to ask for more. Of course if the family and Ah Kung is doing well then the suitor expects a big ang pow during the Chinese New year to which Ah Kung is not averse.

So who will be picked??? A young man seems the likely outcome but will Ah Pek have a chance??